Summary

  • Daniel Hagari, spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), says the Israeli military will "deepen" and "increase" its strikes on Gaza

  • At a press conference, he told reporters this would allow Israel to "minimise the risks to our forces in the next stages of the war" - and it would happen "from today"

  • Hagari also repeated a call for residents of Gaza City to move to the south of the region, saying it was for their own safety

  • The warning comes on the same day aid was allowed into Gaza, from Egypt, for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war erupted

  • Despite some leaders celebrating the move, the UN called the aid a "drop in the ocean" of what's needed

  • Meanwhile the father of freed US hostage Natalie Raanan - who was held captive by Hamas for almost two weeks - has spoken to the BBC

  • He said his daughter, 17, is a "tough girl" and that "it'll take time for her to get back to normal ... but she'll be fine"

  • It's two weeks since Hamas launched its assault on Israel, killing more than 1,400 people. Palestinian officials say more than 4,000 have been killed in Gaza since then

Live Reporting

Edited by James FitzGerald

  1. What's been happening?

    Just joining us or need a recap? Here's a round-up of the key developments today:

    In and around Gaza:

    • More than 100 trucks carrying vital supplies of food, water and medicines are waiting at the border between Egypt and Gaza
    • Yesterday, the US brokered a deal to let 20 trucks enter. Egyptian media are reporting that the Egypt-Gaza border crossing will not open until Friday
    • Israel has continued to bomb what it says are Hamas targets in Gaza
    • Its defence minister has told troops gathered to "be ready" to see Gaza “from inside”, ahead of an expected ground offensive

    On the diplomatic front:

    • US President Joe Biden is due to give a primetime televised address to the nation in which he will ask Congress to provide $100bn (£82bn) in security funding, including to Israel and Ukraine
    • It comes as the US issues a rare worldwide caution to American citizens abroad, warning of an increased risk of violent attacks
    • Meanwhile, UK PM Rishi Sunak met his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, and travelled to Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
    • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned of a “real” danger that the conflict could spill over into neighbouring territories
    • The commissioner-general of UN relief agency UNRWA tells BBC News that the Middle East is on the "edge of an abyss" and he fears "the world is now losing its humanity"

    Violence in the West Bank:

    • The Palestinian ministry of health says six people have been killed in clashes with the Israeli military in Nur Shams refugee in the occupied West Bank - the military says it used an aircraft to strike a "terrorist squad"